British PM Shuts Down 3rd Runway At Heathrow For Good

Want evidence that the conservatives in the UK are different than the conservatives in the US? While conservatives here won't cap carbon and do the bidding of Big Oil--including apologizing to them after the worst spill in US history--across the Atlantic Prime Minister David Cameron, a Conservative, has decided to not allow the proposed 3rd runway at Heathrow Airport to move forward.The runway has been an issue because of the emissions related to greater airline traffic. The UK's 2008 Climate Change Act requires it to reduce emissions by at least 34 percent by 2020 from levels reached in 1990.

Teresa Villiers, Britain's minister of state for transport, said that the 3rd runway would make it impossible for the country to meet its targets.

"The emissions were a significant factor" in the decision to cancel the runway-building plans. The 220,000 or so flights that might well come with a third runway would make it difficult to meet the targets we'd set for ourselves."

Emissions associated with airline traffic is said to be about 2 percent of global emissions. Over on this side of the pond, Chicago-O'Hare, Seattle-Tacoma and Washington-Dulles all opened new runways in 2008.

The coalition Plane Stupid fought against the runway for years. In the NY TImes, Leo Murray of the group called the decision "a turning point for aviation" but he also said "It is uncomfortable to have the coup de grace delivered by the Conservative government."

Mr. Murray, do you know what we'd do for conservative support like that?